Hemorrhoids are anatomical angio-cavernous structures of the anal canal present in utero into adult life that complete liquid and gas continence through blood afflux and deflow, growing in their volume (closing anal canal lumen) because of the arterial afflux, and reducing in their volumee (re-opening the anal canal lumen) because of venous deflow.
Hemorrhoidal disease consists in partial anal canal coating sliding down: rectal mucosa slides down pushing outward internal hemorrhoids which consequently push outward external hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids may have hereditary or constitutional etiopathogenesis: however, the cause underlying their development is still unclear. Probably, considering the recurrence of the disease in several family members, sometimes genetic factors are involved. Constipation can make hemorrhoids more serious, because of the irritating effect that hard stools and strong defecation effort may have on the anal canal.
During pregnancy, some of the important changing in the female body promote hemorrhoids and varicose veins incoming or worsening at lower limbs: during pregnancy, in fact, the female body weight increases with negative effects on the venous complex (during pregnancy, in fact, the volume of the uterus increases pushing on abdomen, hampering blood reflux).
Constipation (that may begin or worsening during pregnancy) frequently causes hemorrhoidal disease onset during pregnancy.
In people suffering from constipation, hemorrhoids are often related to anal fissures, tears or ulcers that occur at the end of anal canal because of the strong defecation effort that may determine tissue damage in this region.
Hemorrhoidal disease is very widespread, affecting, both in North America and in Europe, 1 to 10 millions people (Holzheimer R G, Eur J Med Res, 26 JAN 2004; 9 (1): 18-36, Hemerrhoidectomy: indications and risks), Hemorrhoidal disease is usually treated with strict dietary and behavioural rules and with pharmacological treatments. Most of the people suffering from hemorrhoidal disease are able to live with this disease thank to strict dietary habits and lifestyle, hygiene and/or the use of topical application of products containing steroids (because of their anti-inflammatory action) and local anesthetics.
If necessary, dietary and behavioural rules may be added with a pharmacological treatment with topical application of products (creams, ointments, unguents, foams and suppositories) containing steroids, that acts on pain and swelling, and/or local anesthetics, that relieve itching and pain. However, these products are recommended for brief-term therapies, because long-term treatment with these substances may determine irritation at the application site, particularly at level of rectal and anal mucosa.
When healthy and balanced diet assisted by an appropriate drug treatment is not effective and complicances of the pathology arise, is used for surgical treatment (hemorrhoidectomy, haemorrhoidopexy or prolapsectomy), but this may be followed by post-surgical complications as well as bleeding, fissures, fistulae, abscesses, perianal infections, urinary retention, fecal and urinary incontinence.
Given the hemorrhoidal disease prevalence, especially in pregnant women and in the early postpartum, and considering the spread of its complicances and of related pathologies, is still relevant the finding of a sure and effective treatment for the prevention and the therapy of such diseases, avoiding the patient, at the same time, undergoing to repeated pharmacological and surgical treatments in order to resolve the disease and related symptoms.